Our new cd Once We Get Started is out! It's been released on the Spinout label in the US and the Rock & Roll Inc. label in Europe. We'll be touring during the year to promote it and we look forward to seeing you at the shows. If you can't wait until we hit your town, it's available on our Merch page right now. Thanks to all of you that have already picked up a copy.

It was a lot of fun putting this record together. We got to work with our old friends Dave Anderson at Saxon Recording and Diana Pollastri, who did the art direction. She even included the skyline of Rochester, NY in the layout! I also got to work with two new songwriting collaborators, Allyson Bice and Johnny D.

I've had some e-mails asking about the songs on the disc. There are a few familar titles for Hi-Risers fans, but these are all new recordings released for the first time in the US. Two of our older songs were re-recorded and released in Europe on the Rockin' Spree compilation. Since they weren't released here we wanted to include them on this disc. In Europe those songs will be left off and two others will be put in their place. Confused? Hmmm... Maybe i should give a quick background on the songs and recordings. Here goes:

FOUNDATION ROCK - This song has a long history. I wrote it originally for Hank Ballard of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters fame. He recorded it, which was a huge honor. The Hi-Risers recorded a version for our first record Panic. Years later when the compilation Rockin' Spree was put together by the good folks at Rock & Roll Inc. in Spain, we recorded this version of the song. It's changed over the years and this is my favorite version.

SHE'LL BE MY RUIN -This was one of the first songs i wrote for The Hi-Risers. Like Foundation Rock, it also came out on Panic, but it's changed too, so we re-recorded for fun.

ONCE WE GET STARTED - I wrote this with Kaiser George in mind, which must be why i mentioned the twist in it. George loves to twist, don't cha know. Maybe one day he'll sing it with us.

ATM INSIDE - Written with the mighty Nick Crews. We didn't write too many songs together for this record, but we're back on a roll lately. Expect more Townson/Crews songs on the next disc.

KATY DID - Written with the amazing Allyson Bice. This is the first song we wrote together. She was in town and stopped by to say hello the day i came up with this melody. I asked her to write some words and she came up with most of these on the spot! She's really talented and we've got more songs in the works right now.

WITH THE ONE I LOVE - We played some shows backing up Barrence Whitfield and i wrote this right afterwards. Working with him inspired this. Todd really goes wild singing it. Wow!

HOLE IN MY HEART - This song came to me really quick and it's one of my favorites on the record. Jason plays some amazing drums.

ONE NOTE JOE - This is a song Todd & I wrote together for our second disc In The Spotlight. It was his idea - i wish i had thought of it! This is a re-recording for the Rockin' Spree comp, but, like Foundation Rock, it didn't come out in the US so we put it on here.

I'LL WAIT FOR YOU - Written with John DeAngelis aka Johnny D. I had this melody and the title and i gave it to JD and he came back with a fantastic lyric. He also had some great suggestions for the arrangements, not only on this song, but several others on the record. What an privledge to work with someone so talented.

SLACK JAWED AND TROUT MOUTHED - Nick Crews strikes again! This was a phrase we heard Bill Kirchen say and Nick wrote a lyric out of it.

HERE WITH YOU - This was a melody Todd wrote that i loved. He had it kicking around for years and i wrote a lyric for it.

BOOM CHICKA BOOM - I always wanted to write a song with an early rock & roll title like Rama Lama Ding Dong. This is a blast to play live!

WHERE THE LONELY GO - The first song Johnny D and i wrote together is probably my favorite on the record. I had the melody and the title and a few words for the bridge. We worked a long time on this and i'm happy with how it turned out. Todd played the piano and my friend Gussy Killmer came in to sing on it. She's one of my favorite singers and i'm so glad she's on this.

TWO WEEK NOTICE - Rock & Roll! It took me as long to write this as it does to play it. A blow out to finish off the record.

Thanks to everyone that's come to the solo shows i've been doing. They've been a blast!